Political Essay
AMERICAN ISSUES 2014 ESSAY -- DANIEL DOUGHERTY (w/ cut supporting quotes from random political websites) POLITICS & ECONOMICS The top 1% (corporations, bankers, elitists) control and dominate American politics. America, titled "greatest country" by itself, is far from living up to the name. Wealth inequality (unequal distribution) exists in large. Corrupt corporations and banks (ex. Koch Brothers) are constantly accused of voting fraud, etc. Elections are controlled in favor of those who back them up (ex. conservatives). What America needs: more economic and education reform. I agree fully on taxing people/businesses making more than a set limit of income. Any effort to reduce the inequality gap should focus on lifting up the middle class. The best way to do that is to invest massively in building the America of the future, and starting right now. Much better transportation infrastructure, a next-generation power grid, world-beating education resources, and tons of R&D. OBESITY EPIDEMIC The obesity epidemic can be solved by selling healthier food nationwide. More openings of healthy restaurants that people can afford. Healthier food in schools for children. We feed our children bad food, then complain when they become obese. This is because unhealthy food (ex. fast food) is cheaper, therefore public institutions sell them. AMERICAN JOBS: OVERSEAS Where are all the jobs in America that Americans should have in order to have a normal, healthy income and life? All our jobs are shipped over seas so it doesn't cost so much to pay actual American workers, we can just pay third worlders who will work for anything they can get. These jobs belong to Americans, and only Americans. WAR ON TERROR: CORRUPTION The War on Terror is more like the War on Oil. American politicians are concerned more on getting oil greedily from the middle east than they are about the real cost and effect of the raging decade-long war. We can't have a war we can't afford. We should invest our money in paying off our debt and the American people and infrastructure to continue to improve our country. SOCIAL SECURITY Due to the baby boom of 1946-1964, there are way more people over 50 in our country than young. This means there are way more people entering retirement age and in need of Social Security benefits and care than America can afford. The young generation will pay for this. The nearly 80 million Baby Boomers phasing into retirement will set in motion a dynamic that—if not addressed by Congress—could result in the next generation getting fewer benefits. However, despite fears that Boomers will trigger a collapse of Social Security, experts say the system can and will survive for decades and generations to come. OVERPOPULATION Isaac Asimov said, “Democracy cannot survive overpopulation; the more people you put on the earth, the less each individual’s life matters.” Our world is getting overpopulated, if you haven't realized that already. Overpopulation means that a place is overcrowded with people without enough resources for them. The only ways to help reduce it are; encouraging adoption & birth control education, or creating laws limiting children in a household (China!). The first is more favorable, but harder to achieve. CONCLUSION I hope whoever is elected in 2016 or 2020 realizes these problems and actively, and appropriately, fixes them--sort of like a Third New Deal. We need a big change and a better government, so we can actually earn and live up to the name of "world's greatest country". That's what I think. What about you? Let's get to progressively resolving our problems and creating notonly a better country, a better society--for all. Category:October 5 2014